The Importance of Industry Educated And Experienced Food Professionals

Food Safety Training is Imperative.

Statistics prove that nearly every year, literally millions of people are victims of an illness which is caused by unsafe food handling. These take the form of poorly prepared food, or cross contamination by bacteria that are caused by handling practices.

Often these illnesses can give symptoms that range from flu-like to violent upset stomach and other issues. Sadly, many of these illnesses could be prevented by proper techniques in food safety.

Offering employee programs in safe food preparation can help your company to address all aspects of the food preparation and to ensure the proper handling of food for complete safety. Keeping your customers safe means safeguarding your business.

In many states the law now requires that employees of restaurants and schools must receive some type of training and certification in the handling of foods. Even if your state does not have this requirement, training your employees in the safe handling of food should be part of your business' Standard Operating Procedures.

These type of food safety programs are more than important for handling foods safely. The food safety programs today teach so much more than safe cooking and hand washing. They help to assure compliance with safe methods of not only handling, but also storage, and even receiving of food products in order to prevent food-borne illnesses.

The vast majority of illness related to food handling can be easily avoided if the foods are handled properly and employees use the correct hygiene techniques. The major problem is that many employees are not aware of what those proper handling techniques entail.

The importance of the proper education of food handling employees simply cannot be overstated. Appropriate handling techniques for food may be common sense in many ways, but some skills and techniques must be learned. Proper temperatures for holding food items, as well as the proper method of receiving foods from outside companies must also be taught. These are factors that most home cooks are not aware of and have not dealt with on a regular basis.

Food prep safety techniques will ensure your employees use the correct methods of preventing food borne illness. The skills that are taught in Food preparation safety courses may include:

Prevention of cross contamination
Proper cooking
Correct Food holding temperatures
Receiving of food items
Proper Food storage.
Proper cleansing of food receptacles
Personal hygiene

When these risk factors are addressed and food handlers know what to look for and what to avoid, the statistics tell us that food related illnesses are lowered dramatically.

There will always be risk factors that we cannot avoid in any industry, but preventing those that we can only makes good sense. Proper food handling and instruction in food safety is imperative for those who will handle the foods in our restaurants and schools.

Any organization that is in the business of handling food on a regular basis needs to implement courses on food safety and must provide for the education of all of their employees.

Insisting on industry educated and experienced food handlers is a preventive measure against food borne illness that every organization should be implementing.

Duke Catering was started in 2000, by Nancy and Bernard Duke, both of whom are very experienced and well educated food service and catering professionals. They have quickly become one of the largest and fastest growing diversified caterers in the Southern New Jersey area. Duke Catering provides New Jersey catering to over 1800 school children per day and also provides event catering for businesses and individuals.

Bernard and Nancy Duke are proud members of the School Nutrition Program and attend seminars regularly. They are focused on promoting "wellness" among the many children who enjoy their lunches daily. They plan their menus carefully focusing on adding tastier, lighter, and more nutritious meals to their healthy lunch offerings. For more information on the services offered by Duke Catering visit http://www.DukeCatering.com